Battle
by Mistress Krane
Summary: One thing leads to another in a simple mission with one of the worst possible teams that Sakura could think of. Jokes, accidents, etc. definitely keep the trip interesting for everyone. And yes, we mean everyone. Sequel to Escapade, Non-mass, ItaSakuShis


**Title: **Battle

**Authoress: **Mistress Krane

**Summary:** One thing leads to another in a simple mission with one of the worst possible teams that Sakura could think of. Jokes, accidents, etc. definitely keep the trip interesting for everyone. And yes, we mean everyone. Follow-up to Escapade. Non-massacre, ItaSaku, ShisSaku

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto, it belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.

**A/N: **Just a quick memo, I have changed my pen-name to Mistress Krane as opposed to Mistress Kaliska for those of you who don't know. Also, various explanation will be placed at the end of the story, so please read! **Important edit: **I apologize for the constant confusion, but I will confirm that _Escapade _and _Battle _are both part of a series of oneshots that I am currently working on, so no, this is not the final installment. Sorry about that.

* * *

Twice in one week? How evil could kami get?

"The fourth member of your squad will be Shiranui Genma."

Oh, that evil.

"You will start tomorrow morning. Dismissed," barked Tsunade to the impassive Uchiha captain.

"Hai Tsunade-sama." He poofed out of the office without another word, leaving two pissed women in the room by themselves. The blonde because she was having a meeting with the Council soon and the pinkette because she was stuck with the 'dynamic Uchiha duo,' as she liked to call them now, along with a renowned pervert that was even worse than Shisui.

"This team sishou? Really?" she complained angrily to her mother-like figure, knowing that she was probably one of the only people who could get away with it without being punched/kicked through a wall. "Two perverts and an ice block?"

Downing a shot of sake skillfully, Tsunade frowned at her former student. "The scroll you are to retrieve is likely to trigger a rather large attack of Iwa-nins, and it's best that you are all prepared. Besides, if you're lucky it should only take four days."

Jaw ticking in annoyance Sakura stamped her approval on another document with a little more force than necessary before standing from her spot on the floor to stretch. "Well with my luck we'll be stuck there for a week." Looking out the enormous windows of the office she judged it to be late afternoon, which meant that the council meeting would be starting shortly. "I'll be leaving then, sishou. It's getting late."

Following the gaze of her companion, Tsunade scowled and pointed to the door, obviously already understanding. "Those old farts are coming soon, so it _would_ be good if you got out. Shizune mentioned to me that it would be best if I 'released all of my tension' before meetings, which is exactly what I plan to do," she growled, her fingers curling into a fist.

Not needing any more reason to do so, Sakura exited the room and sauntered out of the building, merely smiling fondly as the sound of wood splitting reached her ears. She couldn't help but wonder: if Tsunade was that worked up _before_ the discussion, what about during and after? The thought made her pick up her pace drastically, not really wanting to feel the murderous aura that was sure to wash over the area as soon as the meeting started.

Some of the shops that lined the streets were just closing, while some were either opening or readying themselves for the night life. The greetings of former patients, coworkers, acquaintances, and friends reached Sakura's ears as she walked, and she returned every one of them with a smile or hug. Needless to say she was quite popular all over the village, winning people over with her patience and kindness up to the point that even a majority of the Uchiha and Hyuuga clans were wrapped around her innocent little finger. But the rosette didn't pay much attention to that; as long as the people she cared about were safe and happy, she could really care less about what others thought of her.

Reaching her apartment she unlocked the door and stepped inside. Smiling as the scent of lavender and roses that was ever present in her home invaded her senses, Sakura walked past the kitchen and living room and entered her room.

The interior was very simple; a closet to the left along with a drawer and mirror, a window on the far wall that covered most of the plaster, the bed and a large stand with pictures of Team 7 over the years scattered all over it to the right, and the door to the bathroom beside the entrance to the room.

Sakura walked over to her dresser and pulled out a pair of dark sweats along with a white tank top and changed. Whenever she got the chance she liked to take a jog around Konoha for some light exercise; it always helped her clear her head while also giving her some time to take in the sights of her village that she rarely got the chance to appreciate.

Deciding to leave her hair down this time, the pinkette grabbed her keys along with a little money and ran lightly out the door, locking it behind her. Taking her usual route toward the Academy first, she unsurprisingly ran into Iruka who looked like he was about to head home. "Hey Iruka-sensei," she greeted with a grin.

Smiling at his former student he replied, "Sakura. I've already told you, I'm not your sensei anymore." Iruka's appearance really hadn't changed; he just looked a little older and wiser now. But he still taught at the Academy, helping future ninja learn the basic arts.

"Well I still call Kakashi-sensei by that honorific, so it'll be the same for you," laughed Sakura, giving him a peck on the cheek. Not missing the blush that dusted across his features, she patted his shoulder once before continuing her jog. "See you later!"

Going until the building was out of sight, Sakura soon arrived at one of the larger food districts in the village. It wasn't very busy at the moment, but in a few hours people would be flooding in for dinner. Catching sight of her favorite tea shop, Sakura took a brief detour and entered the store. Buying two plates of dango, she thanked the cashier and debated whether she should teleport to the Uchiha district or jog there.

In the end her more challenge-prone side won out and, with a sigh, Sakura started her run to one of the richest districts in Konoha.

**XXX**

"Itachi-kun, can you go get your brother for dinner?" asked the Uchiha mistress kindly. Setting down the rice-bowls and chopsticks in their respective positions, Mikoto smiled as her eldest son nodded wordlessly and made his way out of the kitchen.

Padding almost silently down the wooden walkway, Itachi found Sasuke sitting at the edge of the path a little ways from the room. "Otouto, kaasan requires your presence in the kitchen for dinner," he said tonelessly.

Looking up at his brother with bored eyes, Sasuke nodded and stood. The two walked back to the kitchen in their normal silence until, surprisingly, Sasuke broke it. "Do you have a mission tomorrow, aniki?"

Instantly suspicious, Itachi's eyes narrowed fractionally. His foolish otouto has never held the slightest bit of interest in his life; Sasuke preferred not to get involved in any of his big brother's affairs: in the past they had held a rather distinct dullness or troublesome quality to them, and he had not touched the matters since he was only around five years old. Well, he would humor him for now. "Hn, I will be departing in the morning."

A short pause before, "Is it a solo mission, or will you have a team?"

Glancing down at Sasuke's features inconspicuously, Itachi noticed a small frown on his face. Ah, that was what he was concerned about. "I will have a team of three others with me," he drew out further.

The frown deepened considerably, and Itachi held back a smirk. "Is Sakura going with you?" Was that a hint of possessiveness he detected in his voice?

"Yes, along with Shisui and Shiranui Genma." How amusing, Sasuke was adapting a rather horrified expression on his pale(r) features. "Are you concerned for her?"

Scowling to cover his embarrassingly large lapse, Sasuke merely grunted and pulled open the kitchen door, only to be greeted with a flash of pink. "Sakura?"

**XXX**

"Sakura?"

Turning at the sound of her name, said girl smiled sheepishly and greeted, "Sasuke-kun. Itachi," while inwardly cursing.

"Oh good, you're here," smiled Mikoto happily. "Sakura-chan, you _have_ to stay for dinner! Fugaku won't be joining us because of some business with the clan elders, but it would be nice if we had a guest with us."

Frowning the slightest bit at the unwanted invitation, she objected quickly, "No, I couldn't. I just came here to drop off the dango because I know it's your favorite. I don't want to intrude." Any other day Sakura would enjoy the opportunity to spend time with what had become like her second family after her parents died, but she had really intended to finish her run and pack for the mission as soon as she was done here.

"Nonsense, it would be a great pleasure to have you," insisted the older woman, much to Sakura's chagrin. "Naruto-kun hasn't been by in so long, and it's always a great deal more exciting having Sakura-chan here. After all, one can only stand having just three stoic boys for company for so long."

At that she had to grin; but whenever Mikoto started insulting her boys, (jokingly, of course) it meant that she wanted her company fairly badly on the inside. Sneaking a peek at the two Uchiha men behind her, Sakura caught sight of a skeptic Sasuke and an unreadable Itachi—though she could swear she picked up a sliver of interest in his eyes—which didn't really help her situation. "Please Mikoto-san, I really can't stay for long," she tried, but seeing the Uchiha mother's sunken expression, added with heavy reluctance, "But I suppose I can manage a few minutes."

_Pathetic Sakura, Naruto would be ashamed if he were here._

Mikoto's face immediately lit up at her acceptance and Sakura barely suppressed a sigh as she seated herself at the small table. She merely watched the woman leave the room, wondering how long she was going to be here. "You didn't have to do that."

Brow furrowing, she turned to Sasuke who added, "Kaasan would have gotten over it after a few minutes." He was seated at the right side of the table while Itachi was seated at the left, and she stuck her tongue out at both of them.

"It's not my fault that you two have some of the worst timing I've ever seen," Sakura pouted, directing a pointed look in Itachi's direction. _He_ knew what she was talking about. "And if you really didn't want me to stay over, you could have helped me out and said something."

The elder's eyes twinkled with an amusement that Sakura never failed to arouse whenever they met. "On the contrary, I don't believe anyone has implied that your company is anything less than pleasant," he said smoothly. "Or have I heard wrong Sakura?"

Merely raising an elegant pink brow at his statement while Sasuke proceeded to choke on air, Sakura replied, "But I was planning on preparing my things for the mission tomorrow, taichou." She obviously hadn't understood what Itachi had implied: one might even go so far as to call it a compliment. Or as close to a compliment as an Uchiha could get anyway. "Unless you wish me to be unprepared and sleep-deprived. What's wrong with you, Sasuke-kun?"

Reaching behind her teammate's back the kunoichi gave him a hard pat to clear his throat, accidentally knocking him off of his chair. Apologizing with a laugh at his glare, Sakura turned back to Itachi, whose smirk had grown more pronounced.

"I do not wish for anything that would damage the squad's efficiency," he said, ever the perfect shinobi.

Twirling her chopsticks between her fingers, Sakura rolled her eyes and grunted, "Great. Thanks for your concern Itachi, really. Means a lot." Pausing and letting her eyes sweep around the room, she asked confusedly, "Where did Mikoto-san go? Wherever she went she should've been back by now."

Behind the closed shoji door, a grinning Mikoto's eyes sparkled. Maybe there was hope for her Itachi-kun after all.

**

* * *

**

Quiet snores emitted from the pinkette as she lounged underneath a tree beside the gates, much to her squad-mates' amusement. She was fully dressed in her ANBU gear—minus the mask—and her gloveless hands were tucked behind her head in a relaxed position. They had all arrived earlier than usual due to personal reasons and were waiting for their captain, who was always very precise in his timing for missions.

"What's up with Sakura-chan?" whispered Uchiha Shisui, though they both were both aware of how heavy a sleeper she was. "She looks pretty spent."

Shrugging one shoulder carelessly, Shiranui Genma merely bobbed his senbon once before replying, "Maybe she was busy last night, if you know what I mean." The shinobi launched his weapon into the ground beside Sakura's hip casually and watched as she rolled to the opposite side, her pink hair shifting slightly. "The girl _is_ pretty out of it."

Picking up a nearby stick Shisui, for whatever reason, cautiously approached his long-time friend and gulped in anxiety. He looked up to meet Genma's eyes and saw the wicked laughter and pity in them as he mouthed a sincere 'good luck.' Taking a peek at Sakura's scarily tranquil features, the warning 'never poke a sleeping bear with a stick' suddenly took on a whole new meaning for the Uchiha.

Nevertheless, Shisui couldn't resist, and he poked Sakura in the arm. Her face scrunched up into an annoyed expression and she yanked her arm, mumbling an incoherent complaint. Grinning in relief and humor, he proceeded to tapping her legs, torso, and other places daringly, testing her responses along with his luck. Different spots brought different reactions, and soon both he and Genma were leaning over the napping woman, trying to restrain their laughter.

"What the hell is wrong with you Shisui?" smirked Genma. "If Sakura wakes up, you're a dead man."

"Relax, Shiranui," he said airily. "She won't. And if Sakura-chan does, well, we're sharing the same grave, buddy. I'm not going down alone." It wasn't a very reassuring thought. A few pokes and chuckles later, the duo was interrupted by a familiarly cold voice.

"Shisui. Genma."

Startled by his cousin's sudden appearance, Shisui jerked slightly and the stick touched Sakura's cheek lightly.

The contact immediately roused the kunoichi and, out of sheer reflex and unfortunate aim, two simultaneous punches landed themselves in her teammates' groins, earning a very appropriate cry of pain from both men. "What happened?" she asked drowsily.

Collapsing gracelessly onto the ground, Shisui and Genma hissed sharply and clutched their aching manhood helplessly. Though the blows were free of chakra, (thank kami for that) they still hurt like hell, and the two were unsure when the next time they could walk properly would be.

"Damn Sakura-chan," groaned Shisui roughly. "Your aim couldn't have been worse." Sure, he had been in pain worse than this before, but that didn't make the situation any less brutal: being punched in the balls by a girl with inhuman strength wasn't exactly something that just any man could take without fear. He suspected that even his stoic little cousin couldn't keep a cool demeanor in the face of that kind of hurt.

"You can say that again," agreed Genma, struggling to stand properly. Wincing at the stabs of pain in his crotch, he stumbled slightly and was caught by an amused/irritated Itachi.

"Sakura," he intoned mildly. "Please assist these two. We must leave Konoha shortly, and it will be most troublesome if they are unable to travel up to standard."

Flushing guiltily, (though she still had almost no idea what was happening, only that it was her fault) Sakura nodded and helped settle Shisui into a comfortable position on the grass. Luckily for her she could inject chakra into the, er, injured area through his lower stomach, so she set to work. "I'm sorry Shisui-kun," the medic apologized quietly. "Neither of you were doing anything wrong and I almost caused both of you to permanently lose the ability to have children. I feel horrible."

The look of terror that flashed across Shisui's face would have been priceless to anyone who saw it. He had almost been unintentionally emasculated by his best female friend, and the thought of what would happen if she ever _did_ intend to remove his reproductive organ popped, unbidden, into his mind. "D-don't feel bad about it Sakura-chan," he insisted desperately. "It wasn't your fault."

Sakura's expression was one that he had seen once when she had accidentally punched her dog friend (the Inuzuka if he remembered correctly) in the jaw when she was aiming for something else entirely. It reminded him of a person's face when they realized that they had just drop-kicked a kitten across a field instead of their toy like they meant to.

With that Shisui understood that Sakura didn't like to hurt others unless she felt that they deserved it which, in his case, just happened to be a lot, excluding this moment. Well, as far as she knew.

A fresh batch of self-reproach hit the Uchiha in waves, and he could only watch as the petite pinkette silently made her way to Genma a few feet away. It was just a freaking stick! A stick could bring guilt to the great Uchiha Shisui.

**XXX**

"Sakura."

Unusually soft emerald eyes moved up to Itachi's face in response, the flames of the campfire reflected in their depths. "Yes taichou?" The heat of the fire gave Sakura the feeling of home, and it always calmed her down considerably after a trying day.

They had luckily made it a little past the Fire Country's border before Itachi had ordered them to stop and make camp. Of course he had pushed them harder to make up for the lost time, so Sakura was more than happy just to sit around and do nothing until she fell asleep.

Itachi silently nodded toward Shisui, who was pacing back and forth aimlessly. When he noticed that Sakura was about to question his purpose, he merely signaled for her to continue watching. She kept her eyes carefully trained on the elder Uchiha's movements and saw him flinch subtly as he glanced at something on the ground while walking.

Surprised, Sakura searched for whatever had caused the reaction and frowned when the only abnormality was a normal-looking piece of wood lying innocently on the forest floor. Looking back at Itachi in confusion, his eyes flickered over to Genma. Her other squad-mate was observing Shisui as well, but with a _you'd-better-not-blow-our-cover_ look on his face. After a few moments she could swear he cast a fleeting look at her, but it was gone so quick she couldn't tell.

Putting the pieces together in a flash, Sakura's eyes hardened. They were hiding something from her, and she would find out what. "Shisui-kun," she called. "Can I see you for a second?" Winking at Itachi in thanks, her eyes melting momentarily, she looked up when Shisui approached her.

"Yeah Sakura-chan?" he asked, grinning. "What's up?"

The smile slipped slightly when he saw Sakura cracking her knuckles in a threatening manner, and for a moment he looked a lot like Naruto when he realized that he had just been caught doing something bad. "Do you have something you want to tell me?" she asked calmly.

Shisui paused for a moment and met his cousin's eyes for advice. He tilted his head forward in assent, so the minor miscreant took a deep breath and yelled, "It was all Genma's fault!" Bending down and wrapping his arms around her legs, he sobbed, "I'm sorry Sakura-chan, please forgive me!"

Sighing in harmony with Itachi, Sakura patted Shisui's head, sure he was a long-lost brother of her blond friend. "Shisui-kun, I only have a vague idea of what you're talking about but-"

"No way! It was the Uchiha's fault!" declared Genma, suddenly right next to her. Latching onto her stomach he added, "I didn't do it Sakura!" With two fully grown men attached to her so tightly Sakura lost her balance and, unable to readjust, started to fall backward.

Bracing herself for impact, she was mildly astonished when two more strong arms wrapped around her mid-section to keep her steady. Leaning her head back she found herself staring into Itachi's obsidian eyes, and she hastily turned her head to hide her flushed cheeks. "Thank you for catching me, Itachi."

Lips quirking up the tiniest bit Itachi didn't reply, simply saying, "Shisui, Genma, I do not think that you will earn Sakura's forgiveness by giving her a concussion."

Pausing their rambling abruptly, Shisui and Genma released the pinkette without more prodding. "We're sorry Sakura/Sakura-chan," they replied with twin grins.

Smiling at the boys warmly, it quickly melted into a thoughtful expression as she pondered her situation. "You're both hiding something from me, and I'm not exactly happy about that little fact," announced Sakura officially. "But if it makes you feel any better, that alone doesn't give me enough reason to murder and/or castrate either of you. For now at least."

At that an excited air filled the vicinity as the two men celebrated their temporary sex privileges. "So I guess I'll just have to find a way to get you guys back."

...The atmosphere disappeared as quickly as it had come.

"What do you mean?" exclaimed Genma worriedly. "How do you plan on getting even with _us_? You know me and Shisui can't hurt a woman, even if it is you." Her fingers flexed angrily at the, but he continued, "How are we supposed to fight back if you go totally psycho with this?"

"You two didn't seem to have a problem with that in past situations," she pointed out stiffly. Many of Sakura's charges included theft, light abuse, and heavy sexual assault that happened on a regular basis, so she saw no problems with tilting things in her favor.

"But you know we were just teasing you Sakura-chan," Shisui cried hopelessly. "We're good boys, right Itachi-chan?"

Said person frowned at his insufferable relative before noticing that his hands had wandered down to Sakura's waist without his command, and Itachi hastily removed his grip. Unfortunately she continued to lean on his figure for support, and the Uchiha inferred that she was fairly drained for the night; after all, he had interrupted her when she was preparing to start dozing earlier. "Aa."

"Exactly," said Shisui, satisfied with his indifferent answer. "So why do you have to punish us again?"

Sakura's weight became heavier on Itachi's body as she responded, "_Because_ Shisui-kun: even though I still don't know what you two did, I can easily assume that it was something horribly degrading. So I reserve the right to bring some equality into the situation. Besides, this way I can make up for some past issues." Itachi smirked at Sakura's future victims without sympathy, but before anyone could object she was fast asleep.

"I suggest that you two retire to your quarters," commented Itachi sardonically. "Before any more, ah, sticks manage to tempt your idiotic minds."

"Damn, I forgot that you could _do_ sarcastic, taichou," scoffed Genma carelessly. "And that was pretty mean, calling Shisui idiotic like that." Successfully ignoring the jab at his emotional capacity, the ANBU captain idly wondered just where his respect went when he was assigned this particular team. (no, the taichou didn't count, it was more of a requirement for them)

"Oi! That was plural, Shiranui," Shisui said indignantly. "And for your information, Itachi's emotional quota shifts from day to day." He grinned at Itachi. "I got your back, cuz."

"...My patience is running very thin, Shisui."

Grabbing Genma's collar suddenly, Shisui laughed, "Crap, that's our cue. We'll see you in the morning, my gracious, omnipotent Itachi-chan." He had just enough time to throw his teammate into his tent and duck into his own before a single kunai sliced a large gash in his canvas.

**

* * *

**

Five Iwa-nins rushed Sakura at once, forming a circle around her. She appeared behind the one in front of her with incredible speed and injected a spark of chakra into his body, rendering him unconscious, before sending him flying into two more of them. The remaining enemies were more wary of her, making the hand signs for a large jutsu instead.

Not giving either of them a chance to finish, the kunoichi kicked up a large portion of rock out of the ground and hurled it in their direction. Caught off guard, the two were slammed by the projectile directly and were carried away.

Looking around in distaste Sakura noted roughly ten ninjas left, all in Shisui's area, so she just waited for him to finish them off. Checking her body for any injuries she found multiple cuts and bruises, but because of the enemies' weirdly low skill level, there were no broken bones or internal wounds. Still, she would hold off on healing herself until she checked the others; she needn't waste chakra on minor wounds just in case someone else had taken any major damage, no matter how slim the chances were.

"Kitten? You alright?" asked a familiar voice muffled slightly by a mask.

Fingering the bracelet that Itachi and Shisui had given her for her fifteenth birthday through her armor absentmindedly, she looked up at the other ANBU. "Sure Rabbit. Took you long enough to to finish those guys off though." Without seeing his face she could already tell that he was smiling.

Shisui draped an arm around her shoulders as they went to meet up with the rest of their squad. "Yeah. Sorry kitty. Do you want me to catch you a rat to make you feel better?"

Rolling her eyes affectionately, Sakura replied dryly, "What about a tummy rub? That sounds much better than a dead rodent."

"Sounds good to me." Not waiting for her reply, he tickled her stomach without mercy, and Sakura's sweet laughter filled the air. Trying halfheartedly to push his hands away, she felt him pick her up into the air from behind and twirl her around.

It reminded her of all of her days spent in the Uchiha district, always going there for Sasuke but ending up playing with the ever-childish Shisui and the kind but quiet Itachi. The two would always keep her company when she figured that Naruto and Sasuke wanted 'guy time,' and they never showed any signs of her being a nuisance. They were some of her best friends and her adoptive older brothers, and even though she didn't see them as often nowadays, she knew she would always love them.

Unbeknownst to her, Shisui was on the same line of thought: remembering the good old days, hanging out with his younger cousin of four years and their cute, cuddly Sakura-chan, his younger by eight years. Before all of the missions and politics that his rank brought to him.

Itachi sure was the serious little brat when he had first met him, but Shisui liked to think that he had changed him. Well, even though she didn't know it, Sakura had changed him as well. He wasn't as harsh to children as he had been before; the kid had softened him up. At least in that area.

Shisui's face grew noticeably brighter beneath his mask as he perceived how much Sakura had grown since then. Her personality didn't change much, but her body had definitely filled in the right places. To his inner pleasure she had kept her hair long: he supposed Uchihas had a weakness for that. Even Itachi had let it slip that he preferred lengthy locks as opposed to shortened hair. Their Sakura-chan was all grown up, but that didn't mean that they would stop loving her, (yes, Itachi too) quite the opposite actually. She, as their official younger sis, had earned their protection, and they would fight like hell to keep her safe.

"Kitten, Rabbit, I trust that you have taken care of the enemies sufficiently." Well there went the third Musketeer now.

Taking off her mask to breathe for a few moments, Sakura's features were alight with cheer as she brushed a few strands of hair out of her face. "Yes taichou, the nins have been dealt with. Me and Shisui-kun were just messing around."

Removing his mask as well, said Uchiha hugged Sakura closer with a broad smile. Licking her flushed cheek playfully, he added, "We were having _so_ much fun, Itachi. Why did you have to interrupt?" When Sakura suspected that he would start rubbing up on her 'like a real cat,' she flipped him onto his back into a mud puddle.

Having rid themselves of their masks as well, Genma started cracking up while Itachi smiled quietly. Shisui was fretting obsessively with his hair, complaining that it would take forever to wash out the dirt. Sakura was merely warning him that she was racking up points for her due before finally helping him stand up.

Deciding that her team had dealt with enough drama so far for this mission, Sakura walked ahead and sighed, "Okay, once we get to the inn I'll give all of you one of my special massages to celebrate the successful assignment. Happy?"

The thought brought anxiety to all three men as they caught up to her. Medics were always the best to give massages because of their knowledge of body tissue, but Sakura's were almost legendary. (obviously no one could see Tsunade giving them out so...) Only a select few had received them—namely Naruto, Sasuke, and Kakashi—and they had described the experience as heavenly. Coming from Sasuke that had to mean something, especially since they had reported constant failures in scoring another.

It was an unbelievable treat that they could hardly believe that they were getting, including Itachi though he would never admit it, and soon they were speeding through the trees, all impatient for their destination.

**XXX**

"Two rooms please," smiled the pinkette kindly, sliding the money across the wood.

The young man behind the counter blushed profusely, but immediately recoiled at the sight of two intense glowers accompanied by one normal glare sent in his direction. "I-I apologize miss, but there is only one room available." Almost whimpering at the dark aura surrounding the men, he almost sighed in relief as the woman held up her index finger to withhold them, her lips pursed.

"It'll have to do, I guess," she decided, taking back half of her money and grabbing the key. Glancing out at the raging storm, Sakura asked politely, "You wouldn't happen to know the weather forecast for tomorrow, would you?"

Scrambling around in the desk, eager to please her, the boy found a few scraps of paper and reported, "Violent showers and thunderstorms throughout the region, likely electrical failures at indefinite intervals, and strong winds."

"Travel conditions?"

He gave her an odd look and replied, "Very difficult. You wouldn't get very far if you were to leave. I'd suggest at least waiting for the winds and lightning to let up."

Nodding her thanks, she ascended the stairs and found their room, unlocking the door. To her surprise it was fairly spacious, even for four people. A fireplace took up one side of the room while the beds and a window took the other. Outside it was almost pitch black save for a few stray strikes of lightning, with raindrops pelting the glass. The door to the bathroom was opposite them, and Sakura went to check it out while the others settled in.

It was pretty nice, she thought: a sink, large mirror, spacious bathtub and shower, and a separate door to the toilet. The lack of toiletries made her frown, but not matter, she was always prepared. Heading back into the room she noticed that the fireplace was already lit as opposed to the electricity, but she liked it better that way.

As she grabbed her 'supply scroll' as she liked to call it, she noticed that everyone had already started to relax. Genma was seated on one of the beds lightly napping, Shisui was stretched out before the hearth looking like a puppy at ease with dirty fur, and Itachi was looking out the dark window, face not as rigid as usual.

Smiling at the sights, Sakura reached the bathroom and unrolled her scroll to reveal shampoos, conditioners, body wash, lotions, and... hair dye. Intriguing. Observing the colors with a clinical eye, she found one that stuck out from the others. Vibrant Blond. Stifling a laugh at her sudden, devious plan, she was just about to attempt forgetting it completely when a smooth tenor voice asked, "Do I get to know the joke?"

Not looking up, but grinning, Sakura showed Itachi the bottle she was holding. He raised a brow. Leaning down to whisper in her ear, he smirked slightly when she shivered involuntarily and said, "That is..."

She nodded in agreement, leaning back onto his shoulder and saying almost silently, "Before I give anyone their massages, I want you to promise to do something for me." Sakura told Itachi the details of her plan in hushed tones, and was shocked to see him agreeing with her so quickly. But then again, he had pretty much convinced her to do it in the first place.

Finished with her briefing, Sakura was about to give him a chaste kiss on the cheek as usual, but was floored when his head turned to face her and caught her lips on his. Apparently it was completely intentional because she felt him nudging her lips apart gently, and poor Sakura was too stunned to object.

When she finally recovered she found herself melting into the contact, but before she could respond a loud voice interrupted them, filling her with...disappointment? The feeling was mutual, she decided, because as soon as Itachi's eyes snapped open they narrowed. Not at her, but at the interference. Shisui. He pulled away slowly.

"Where are you two? Damn I need a shower, and soon!"

Exhaling loudly, she carefully moved away from Itachi, who looked pretty much back to normal save for the traces of irritation on his face, and exited the washroom. Shisui and Genma looked as if they hadn't moved, though it was painfully obvious that the former had woken the latter with his shout. "We all know you need to bathe, Shisui," Genma mumbled grumpily.

"Itachi was helping me sort the supplies: they're spread on the countertop, so take your pick," said Sakura, valiantly hiding her blush. "Shisui-kun is definitely going first."

Excited to finally be able to rinse out his shoulder-length hair, he was in the bathroom in a flash. Pushing a disgruntled Itachi out hurriedly, Shisui slammed the door closed and clicked the lock. The sound of running water reached their ears as he told Sakura that there were three sets of male bath products, and she suggested the orange selection.

Itachi looked at her in silent question, and she replied, "Naruto, Sasuke, and Kakashi-sensei. Sai and Yamato-taichou are usually ready with their own stuff for the missions they come with us on."

Nodding in understanding he drifted over to the bed, reminding Sakura of something very important. "Wait, where the hell am I sleeping?" she demanded.

Genma's eyes opened momentarily, scanning the room. What he found was satisfactory because he closed them again saying, "Right there in front of the fireplace of course." He pretended not to hear her indignant protests until he felt himself being lifted off of the mattress and dropped onto the ground. "What? At least you weren't going to be stuck in the hallway like Shisui," he reasoned, rubbing his rear end.

"I'm not a freaking dog, Genma!"

"Could have fooled me."

"Are you kidding me?"

"What are you going to do about it, Haruno?"

A full scale argument broke out then, and coupled with Shisui's torturous shower singing, Itachi suddenly received a migraine. Childish and disrespectful. What unfortunate circumstances. There was only one way to solve the problem- temporarily at least.

Standing from the edge of the bed, Itachi wordlessly picked up Genma by the collar (much like Shisui had) and deposited him in his original position. Then he carried Sakura bridal style and brought her to his own bed, ignoring her unintentionally sexy pout. At that moment Shisui decided to make his entrance—making Itachi's job that much easier—so the captain moved him in a similar fashion to Genma onto said person's bed as well.

Not answering their incredulous looks, he disappeared into the bathroom, having successfully set the sleeping arrangements for the night.

**XXX**

Shisui and Itachi had to forcefully hold themselves back from breaking down the door as deep male groans emitted from the room. Sakura had promised them that nothing other than what she had told them would happen, as long as they stayed out of the place. It was her rule: and if they wanted their turn they would have to follow it.

"I think the kid is overdoing it," grumbled Shisui, leaning against the hallway wall. A noncommittal grunt came from Itachi, though he knew he was agreeing with him. After everyone had taken a shower, Sakura had finally announced that she would start the massages. Of course they had all been excited, even if some showed it more than others, but then she kicked Shisui and Itachi out, telling them to wait until she was done with Genma. It had been almost ten minutes and...it was quiet.

The door opened and Sakura was smiling, but Genma was nowhere to be seen. "Come on in Shisui-kun." Feeling bad because Itachi would be in the hall by himself, she invited him as well, telling him to do something else while she worked.

They observed the small massage table in the middle of the room shortly before seeing a sleeping Genma on his bed, looking very peaceful. "Lie on your stomach here and, um, please take off your shirt," she told Shisui sternly. "Itachi, if you please." Sakura pointed to their bed.

The two did as they were told, Shisui grinning like a madman. Itachi lounged on the sheets, reading a small black book that Sakura failed to see the title of.

"Ready when you are, Sakura-chan," piped Shisui helpfully.

Giving him a smile of her own, she pushed his head down onto the pillow and started. Rubbing this spot, rolling that spot, putting no chakra into her fingers, putting chakra into her elbows; her hands were flowing across Shisui's back in an elegant dance. Lost in the sensations, the Uchiha turned into a big pile of goo before her. Soft moans came from his lips at the touches, and Sakura couldn't help but feel happy that he was enjoying it.

Her talent in this area was amazing: even she could acknowledge that. She had always been fascinated with the body's tissues and thus read many scrolls and textbooks on the subject. Her brain absorbed the facts like a sponge, memorizing every little detail. But even though she had tried it a few times with unparalleled success, Sakura didn't really like giving them out freely and to just anyone. She wasn't comfortable with giving more than one to a certain person: then they wouldn't be special, would they? That was why she constantly refused the begging of her boys, they didn't really understand the concept.

Looking back down at Shisui, she could hear his even breathing and knew he was asleep. Grinning at her handiwork, Sakura painstakingly flipped him over and dressed him in his shirt before placing him on his bed beside Genma.

Yawning and stretching, Sakura turned to her final recipient with an expectant gaze. Gesturing toward the table with a smile in her eyes, she was about to ask him to remove his shirt like the others, but the words died on her tongue as he followed her silent request.

Normally this wouldn't faze her in the least, after all she had seen many men naked in the hospital before, but the fact that his dark, _dark_ eyes never left hers until the fabric came over his head unnerved her. Oh, and the fact that this was_ the_ Uchiha Itachi's chiseled figure glowing in the flickering light didn't help her regain her thought process either.

"Sakura."

_S-M-E-X-Y! s_creamed a loud voice in her head. Kami, he was coming closer...

"Would you like to continue where we were earlier before we were...so rudely interrupted?" he asked, fairly purring. Where the hell did her ice cold, no-hormones-at-all, stoic captain go??

Sakura's cheeks were on fire now, and all she could do was stand there as Itachi leaned closer and closer. Just as his lips were about to touch hers, she suddenly snapped out of her stupor and caught his face in her hands. It wasn't the best plan she had ever had, but he merely looked at her with amusement akin to quiet arrogance: like he knew that her resistance was only temporary. That unbearable prick!

"No Itachi," she chided as if she were speaking to a misbehaving child. "Lie down and be a good boy while I give you your massage."

Wincing slightly at the small innuendo, Sakura, expecting him to be at least a little angry at her orders, merely saw the arrogance fade, leaving only an entertained light in his eyes. "Yes Sakura."

Itachi couldn't help but be highly keen of Sakura's reactions; they were always different and oddly refreshing. Even after many years of fair companionship, he still had difficulty understanding them. For example: when he had undressed she had become flustered, which he understood was normal, but when he had attempted a sexual advance she had reprimanded and got bossy on him. Most women would have literally jumped at both opportunities, yet she didn't.

Regardless, he would file it away for later. He was quite curious to see what had gotten his otouto to behave so unlike himself. Lying down on the table just as Sakura had instructed, Itachi closed his eyes and waited.

The first touch sent an electrical jolt through his body, but Sakura continued as if nothing had happened. Every push, pinch, roll, etc. brought more and more relaxation to his muscles, and Itachi inwardly marveled at her ability. The built stress and tension were flowing out of his body like a river, and he felt so amazingly...light. But apparently that wasn't all, because Sakura gradually started to add pressure and heat to her fingers until they reached the perfect balance. _Hell yes._

A contented rumble tore through his throat, and soon Sakura could swear that he sounded just like a well-fed jungle cat. He was subconsciously purring, which she found very out of character for him, but it was cute in a way. After all, she had never had a massage before and she doubted that Tsunade would ever give her one, so she didn't really know what a good back rub could do to a person.

Studying Itachi's face intently, Sakura smiled at the lack of frown lines and stress creases for the moment. Since she had reminisced with Shisui a fair amount, why not him too? The 'little' boy she used to know had gotten older and more serious. Sure he was already serious before, but now he seemed more reserved as well. To Shisui and herself he was probably as social as he could be, which saddened her.

Another thing that bothered Sakura was the extensive amount of knots that she had smoothed over for him. Of course she knew and understood why, but Itachi was seriously one of the most pressured, a.k.a. stressed, people she had ever met, no matter how much he hid it. She frowned. Being the heir of the Uchiha clan was bound to weigh heavily on his shoulders, and though she couldn't even begin to empathize, at least she could remove it for a short time.

After a few more minutes of soothing rubbing, Itachi's breath evened out, and even though Sakura knew he didn't like to be coddled she carried him to the bed and pulled on his shirt. Making sure that the only noise in the room was deep inhalation and exhalation coupled with Shisui's snores, she put away her massage table and climbed into bed beside Itachi, falling asleep as soon as her head thumped onto the pillow.

**

* * *

**

The moment Shisui woke up he knew something was different. No, it was not the fact that another dude was pressed up against his backside in a _very_ invasive way. Pushing said person none too gently into the wall, yet managing not to make a sound, the Uchiha got up from the bed and walked to the fireplace.

After he reset the fire, he found out what was unusual about himself. His whole body felt completely energized and renewed. In other words, he felt ready to kick some serious ass. Too bad they wouldn't be able to return to Konoha today, he thought looking out the window. If possible it looked even worse than yesterday.

Oh well. Practically sprinting over to his favorite pinkette's bed to thank her, a full blown grin spread across his face at the sight that greeted him.

During the night, Sakura and his younger cousin had gotten very cozy. Itachi's arms were wrapped around her while her face was buried in his neck. Pink hair was splayed everywhere, and his chin was resting on top of her head to complete the _intimate_ embrace.

Stuffing his knuckles into his mouth to keep himself from saying something, he froze when Sakura roused the tiniest bit. Her eyes opened sleepily and after a few good blinks she seemed to realize where she was. Face flooding with color, emerald orbs widened in horrification. Shisui shifted smally at her comical expression, but that proved to be a mistake because as soon as she caught sight of him she was glaring daggers.

'I'll be in the shower,' he mouthed with a sheepish smile. 'And I need to borrow some candles. Pretty sure the lights are out.'

'Screw you Shisui-kun,' she mouthed back, somehow managing to flip him off without waking Itachi. 'You are dead when I get my hands on your throat.'

Shisui gave her a casual wave before sauntering to the bathroom. The door closed with a low thud.

"Was that necessary?" asked a husky voice. The shower was already going so that Genma wouldn't wake up...or overhear them.

A tint of red was still visible on Sakura's face as she looked up at him and replied, "He had it coming. Or more like he has it coming. The guy really needs to know when not to disturb others."

"Indeed," he replied dryly. Smirking at her, Itachi withdrew his hands from their position around her and watched as she backed toward the wall to give him room.

Rubbing the back of her neck with a beam at him, Sakura met his eyes and raised an eyebrow. "Need something?"

When he didn't reply, she shrugged and crawled toward the edge of the bed. "Okay then, I guess I'll go inste-" Ending with a surprised squeak, Sakura laughed and blushed as Itachi grabbed her around the waist and rested his head on her shoulder.

Taking that as a sign to stay, she sighed and leaned back onto him. His hair tickled her nose, and Sakura smiled. Tucking it behind his ear, she couldn't resist giving him a genial kiss on the temple. _I guess I _am _being a little suggestive. No wonder Itachi seems to be so off,_ she thought with a giggle. _But I can't help it! Niisan is too adorable sometimes._

"Are you trying to tempt me, Sakura?" Itachi asked, his lips tilting up.

"Apparently," she mumbled. At least according to her thoughts.

Turning her face in his direction Itachi, instead of going for her lips, merely pecked her forehead. Seeing Sakura's confused frown, he replied, "I believe Shisui will finish bathing at any moment, and I would rather be with you without any unwelcome intrusions."

Blush from earlier returning full fold, Sakura nodded and gently pried his hands from her waistline. Scooting off of the bed, she walked over to her bag and rifled through it minutely. Itachi, who was watching her with lazy eyes, inwardly sweatdropped when she pulled out a small coffee mug, a water bottle, and what appeared to be a hot chocolate packet.

"How much junk do you keep in there, Sakura?" asked Genma suddenly, looking half asleep. Rubbing his eyes, he stretched and yawned.

"Shut up," she snapped quickly. Bringing her things in front of the fireplace, Sakura set down the ingredients and prayed(?) much to the room's other occupants' bemusement. Sitting cross-legged she drew chakra into her hands and heated the water instantly. Pouring it into the cup, she ripped open the packet and dumped it into the liquid.

Puckering her lips in disdain, Sakura seemed to search for something briefly before scowling. Turning to Genma, she asked, "You don't happen to have a spoon, do you?"

A pregnant pause.

Then, "What the hell? You have a gigantic bag with you that has a boatload of random crap in it, yet you don't even have any dining utensils packed?"

"Well excuse me for forgetting!"

"Oh, but you didn't forget to bring candles and _hot chocolate_ with you? Were you going to host the world's most romantic slumber party or something?"

"What? You asshole!"

Just then a bloodcurdling yell resounded throughout the room. Shisui charged into the sleeping quarters, pulling at his new, strikingly...blond hair. The twenty eight year old looked like he was about to cry: his poor raven locks were gone! "W-who did this?" he asked, mortified.

"Why are you blaming me?" demanded Genma, not even aware of Shisui's obvious distress.

"I never even said anything close to that, you idiot!" yelled Sakura angrily. Standing from her spot swiftly, she glanced at Shisui apologetically, then at Itachi, before saying, "I'm going downstairs to check the kitchen I guess. Itachi, you can explain to Shisui if you want."

With that, Sakura grabbed a candle and her cup and left the room. Using a small Katon, she lit her only means of light and traveled down the oppressive hallway. Rain was pounding the ceiling mercilessly, and as she walked down the stairs she speculated how long they might be stuck there. Maybe they could leave in the morning.

"Excuse me miss. Do you need something?" asked a soft voice. Sakura realized it was just the boy at the front desk.

"Yes, which way is the kitchen?" she asked, turning the candle onto his youthful features. Turns out he already had a few wax sticks on the table, so she turned to look at the doors.

"I'm sorry, guests aren't usually allowed back there," he replied.

"But all I need is a spoon," she wheedled.

Sakura heard an almost inaudible sigh come from him. Tapping his fingers on the desk in boredom, the boy finally agreed. Ten minutes was all he gave her, but it was more than enough.

Thanking him, Sakura went in the direction he pointed and soon found herself in the inn's kitchenette. In the scarce light she could make out the outlines of some cookware, a stove, a sink, counters, and various things she knew were there but couldn't see. She set down her mug to free her hand.

Walking around a little, Sakura searched through a few drawers with no luck. "How can there be no spoons in a kitchen?" she exclaimed. Now she was guessing this was how Genma felt.

"Why do you need a spoon, yeah?" asked a deep, sultry voice.

In a flash, Sakura threw a kunai in the direction of the sound and frowned when there was no sound of impact. Blocking a slice at her side, she set down the candle on a nearby surface and repositioned the linked weapons. "What do you want?" she asked the man smoothly. "I don't want to fight."

Withdrawing his weapon, he straightened out and held out his hand in truce, which Sakura found odd for an 'enemy' shinobi. Taking it anyway, she smiled warily. But when she felt something lick her hand, she jerked away, pinning him with an odd look.

Chuckling, them man stepped into the candlelight to reveal one azure eye and what looked like a scope in the place of the other. His honey blond hair was pulled up into a high ponytail, much like Ino's, and his bangs covered the piece of technology slightly. He was grinning, and Sakura admitted to herself that he was pretty hot. "My name's..." Faltering momentarily, he shrugged. "Deidara. Sorry about that, I guess they like you, un."

Totally lost, Sakura gasped when he raised his hands to reveal twin mouths, one on each palm. The rational part of her was completely weirded out while the medic part was fascinated. Without thinking, she made a grab for them, but pouted when he pulled them out of her reach.

"Your name first, girlie," said Deidara with a laugh.

Despite the fact that she had just met him, Sakura couldn't help but feel like she could trust the guy: and plus, she really wanted to examine those hands. Heh, he could figure it out anyway with just one look at her hair. She smiled, "Haruno Sakura, at your service."

Deidara looked at her with sudden interest. Taking her hand, he kissed the back the back of her fingers tenderly, absorbed, and smiled. "Pleased to make your acquaintance, Sakura-san."

Obviously he was aware of who she was because of the added curiosity in his eyes, yet he still treated her like a regular stray kunoichi. She had a feeling that they would be quick friends. "How charming, Deidara-san," giggled Sakura girlishly. Taking the hand in both of hers, the medic poked the teeth of the small mouth testingly. It seemed to nip her affectionately, and her eyes lit up in amazement.

"That's weird, un," commented Deidara. She looked up at him. "Normally people are freaked once they see these guys, but you seem to like them, yeah."

Injecting a little chakra into the appendage, Sakura didn't even flinch when the teeth chomped onto her finger harshly. It was filled with Deidara's chakra, so it was natural for it to reject hers. "They're very interesting," she mumbled absently. Tracing the outline lightly, she smiled when the mouth licked her finger. "What do you use them for?"

Deidara's other hand reached into a pouch on his hip, but instead of taking out a weapon like she thought, he pulled out a small white ball. Right before her eyes, the hand's mouth seemed to chew and mold it. Not two seconds later, a palm-sized clay bird shot out and flew onto his shoulder. "They fuse my chakra into small clay balls and mold them. I can detonate them at any time, yeah," he explained proudly. "It's art, un."

Sakura laughed and held out her hand, asking if she could see the bird. Jumping into her palm energetically, Deidara watched as she formed a bubble of chakra around his creation skillfully. Her pink hair glowing in the candlelight, she requested, "Can you please show me how you do it? This will contain the explosion so that no one gets hurt."

Holding the bubble between them, she watched him smile at her before bringing his hands together.

"Kai."

The resulting outburst was stronger than Sakura ever expected, straining her barrier to its breaking point. But there was something about the short detonation that was beautiful to her; it reminded her of her own personal fireworks show. Brief, but it made you pay attention to the small things in life, not wanting to miss anything. Small things bring joy: art.

"That was great, Deidara," beamed Sakura. "Thank you."

"No problem, yeah," he smiled, blushing slightly.

Looking at the candle, Sakura gasped and started to open drawers frantically. Picking it up, she grabbed her mug that she had set down when she had first come in, and continued her search. "I can't believe I forgot!" she berated herself.

"Are you still looking for a spoon?" asked Deidara amusedly. He held up something in the dark, and when Sakura shone the light on it, she shot him an exasperated look that she didn't really mean. "Found it when I came down here getting some sweets. I was about to put it back, but then you attacked me."

Shaking her head with a sheepish flush on her cheeks, Sakura took the spoon gratefully. "Thanks again, Deidara-san. You totally saved my ass." Stirring and reheating her drink, she sighed in bliss. "Finally."

Chortling at her antics, Deidara motioned for her to come with him, and she followed him out of the kitchen. Passing by the front desk, he asked, "What's in there anyway, un?"

"Hot chocolate," replied Sakura automatically. "I drink it every morning, have since I was ten years old." Deliberating shortly, she asked, "Do you want some?"

He looked at her, surprised, and said, "No thanks, don't drink it, yeah."

Sakura shrugged and took another sip as they made it to the stairs. It was so queer how close she already felt to Deidara, and knowing that they would probably never see each other again after this hurt her heart. It was like one of her dear friends was leaving her forever, which she knew was a completely illogical considering the circumstances. Still, wanting to hear his voice more, she asked with interest, "So what are you doing here in Iwagakure? Traveling?"

"I was born here," he replied, his voice slightly bitter. This shocked Sakura a little, along with the fact he avoided calling it his 'home.' "But I _am_ traveling. Need to get away from the house, yeah." Deidara noticed that she seemed to be sad about something, so he moved the subject to her. "What about you? Coming here alone, un?"

"No, I'm here with a team," Sakura smiled, much to his relief. It faded immediately though, when they reached the third door at the top of the stairs. "And they'll be waiting for me."

Realizing this was her room, Deidara frowned at the dejected expression on her face. Tilting her downcast head up, he offered the pinkette a boyish grin and slipped a piece of clay into his hand. When it was finished he held it up to show her a smooth, white dove the size of a pendant. Pressing it to her lips before letting her take it, he said, "If you ever need me, just put a little of your chakra into this, and I'll be there right away. Don't lost it, yeah."

Chuckling thickly at his attempt at a joke, Sakura hugged him tightly. "I'll miss you Deidara-kun."

Putting his hands around her, he said, "We've only known each other for, what, fifteen minutes, and you're already emotional? What kind of shinobi are you, woman?" Giving her a smile she couldn't see, Deidara awkwardly ran his hands up and down her back—minding his hands' tongues—and added, "I'll miss you too, Sakura-chan, un."

The moment was so sickeningly sweet that many would either cry or puke at the sight, but it was unceremoniously broken when the room's door was abruptly opened.

"Sakura-chan, Itachi explained it and..." Shisui trailed off when he caught sight of his little Sakura-chan being hugged by a complete stranger that most girls would call hot. "Hey, let her go!"

Deidara merely smirked at him as Sakura pulled back and smiled. Waving at him with the hand that was holding the cup, she walked past a doubtful Shisui and entered the room.

The blonde nodded at a slit-eyed 'blond twin' and walked down the hall to his room, thinking about how he had made...friends with _the _Haruno Sakura in only a few minutes. What an odd little kunoichi.

In said girl's room, Shisui was complaining loudly about what he had just seen, Sakura was searching (again) for something inside her bag, Genma had gone back to sleep, and Itachi was wondering just when they would be back in Konoha.

**

* * *

**

In two days, the ANBU team had finally reached their village. By then Shisui had begun to love his new blond hair, though Itachi had pointed out with a slightly strained voice that he would have to wash it out before they returned to the Uchiha district.

Sakura had put Deidara's gift on a small silver string around her neck, reinforcing the necklace with her chakra and the pendant with a thicker outline to make sure that she wouldn't lose it unintentionally, she and no one else could break it, and even for emergencies. She could either use the small amount of chakra for a last-ditch attempt in a grave situation, or send it into the dove to contact Deidara and hope he comes.

Whenever anyone asked her about it, Sakura would merely say that it was just as important to her as her bracelet was, and though they were almost never satisfied with that she wouldn't say anything else. Shisui had questioned her relentlessly, asking how it could be just as important as his and Itachi's present was, but he didn't have much luck either. Itachi was silently upset about that fact, but he would never voice it.

Besides, he still had to collect that raincheck from Sakura on that conversation in bed.

**XXX**

"Sakura-chan?"

"No Shisui-kun, I will not tell you where I found that shade of blond. Itachi would murder me if you went 'against Uchiha tradition' by sticking out so badly in a clan meeting again."

"...Fine. But that's not what I was going to ask."

"Okay, then what?"

"Why did you only get even with _me_ on the mission? Genma was almost equally at fault. Justice must always prevail!"

"You're only saying that because you're a police officer and you've already technically suffered enough for one week."

"Yes, that's part of it, but it's mostly because you're not being fair, Sakura-chan!"

"Watch your whining, Shisui-nii. And I'm not being fair because, well, there's something funner about messing with _you_. Others, except for maybe Itachi, Naruto, and Sasuke, don't give me as much amusement."

"I guess I'll take that for now: means I'm _special_! But remember this, little pink-haired sister, you may have won the battle, but I will conquer this war."

"Bring it."

From the rapidly darkening sky, a single snowflake descended onto Sakura's palm. She grinned.

"I think I've got our next battlefield."

* * *

A/N: Whew, finally finished. 17 document pages, a definite high for me. :)

OOC-ness: Itachi is mainly...off because of a mix of curiosity and attraction to Sakura. Though she thinks of him as an older brother right now, she is attracted to him as well, albeit rather subconsciously. Don't worry, she'll realize her feelings soon enough. As for everyone else, I hope that they're pretty much in character.

Deidara: Yes, he made a star appearance in my fic: I just couldn't resist! He's one of my favorite Akatsuki members, and even though I only planned on inserting a cameo role for him, he ended up playing a bigger part. And yes, the necklace is significant, you'll just have to wait to find out what for... Plus, Iwagakure is his native village, so that explains a little too.

Yours truly,

Mistress Krane


End file.
